Salt Spring, it’s apple time.
For the second year in a row, it's a bumper crop: trees are loaded, the fruit is falling, and the Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust is ready to help you pick it, press it, preserve it, identify it, dance about it — and even sail across the Salish Sea for it.
Here’s what’s coming up during apple season:
COMMUNITY APPLE JUICING
Got apples? We’ve got the press.
Are you swimming in apples? Bring them to The Root, 189 Beddis Road, and leave with fresh, delicious juice made from your own fruit.
Our first two juicing days are coming right up and will offer fresh, raw juice (not pasteurized):
Monday, August 31
Tuesday, September 8
After that, we’ll be juicing regularly through the fall, with the option to have your juice pasteurized — thanks to a generous donation from the Salt Spring Foundation — so it can be stored shelf-stable without taking over your fridge or freezer.
COST:
$6 per 2-litre bottle — bottle included
OR bring your own bottles and pay $2.50/litre
Please allow 1–2 hours for the process as you will be hands-on helping!
→ SIGN UP FOR COMMUNITY JUICING HERE
SALT + CIDER APPLE CRUISES
Sunday, September 20
What if apple picking required a tall ship? Join us aboard the Providence for a very Salt Spring adventure: sailing across to Prevost Island to pick apples, with good food, apple elixirs and cider along the way.
Choose your voyage: Our Afternoon Cruise — 1:30–4:30 pm — is SOLD OUT, but there are still a few tickets for our Morning Cruise — 9 am–12:30 pm.
DEHYDRATOR RENTALS
Too much fruit? Not enough dried apple, pears and plums? Borrow a dehydrator from the Farmland Trust and turn some of that beautiful island abundance into snacks for the months ahead.
Pick up your dehydrator at The Root and keep it for up to 48 hours.
To reserve one, email info@ssifarmlandtrust.org.
🍎 APPLE FEST WEEKEND 🍎
September 26 + 27
We're embroidering a few new threads into the tapestry of Salt Spring's beloved annual Apple Festival.
This year, the Farmland Trust is bringing you apple identification, community juicing, a Contra Dance and a once-a-year opportunity to explore the botanical gardens and heritage orchard at Bloom Castle by the Sea.
Jan Mangan at the 2025 Apple Festival - photo by AP
CONTRA DANCE
Saturday, September 26 • Beaver Point Hall
Bring the whole family for an old-fashioned community gathering celebrating the harvest.
5–6:30 pm — Games, fun, apple juicing & socializing
6:30–8:30 pm — Contra dancing with a live old timey band & caller.
No experience necessary. Come alone, bring the family, bring your friends — the caller will show us what to do.
→ CONTRA DANCE DETAILS + TICKETS
WHAT'S THAT APPLE?
Two Apple ID courses on September 26th: 10-12 or 1-3.
That gnarly old tree in your backyard might be growing something extraordinary. Salt Spring has an incredible diversity of heritage apple varieties — but figuring out exactly what you've got is another matter. Bring your mystery apples and learn the art and science of identifying them at our Apple ID course during Apple Fest weekend.
→ COURSE DETAILS + REGISTRATION
COMMUNITY APPLE JUICING
Sunday, September 27 • 10 am–4 pm
The Root, 189 Beddis Road
Come see the Farmland Trust's community juicing operation in action! We'll be pressing Salt Spring apples throughout the day and showing how the island's backyard abundance can become delicious juice instead of windfall.
Apple pressing at the Root Food Hub - photo by Andrea Palframan.
BLOOM CASTLE + APPLE ORCHARD TOURS
Sunday, September 27 • 10 am–4 pm
Here's your chance for a once-a-year peek behind the gates at one of Salt Spring's special places. Explore the botanical gardens and heritage apple orchard of Bloom Castle by the Sea, now home to Royal Roads University's Salt Spring Campus.
Wander the grounds, drop by for games and juice in the orchard and celebrate the remarkable agricultural heritage growing all around us.
🍎 PICK IT. PRESS IT. PRESERVE IT. SAIL FOR IT. DANCE FOR IT.
Apple season doesn't last long.
Whether you've got 500 pounds of apples dropping in your backyard, exactly zero apple trees, or a few hours to spare with a picking crew, there's a way to get involved.
Every year, together we rescue thousands of pounds of apples and fruit that would otherwise go to waste and distribute it across the island.
Be part of it!
There are two very important ways you can help make sure this year's harvest doesn't go to waste:
🍎 NEED HELP PICKING YOUR FRUIT? REGISTER YOUR CROP!
Got more apples or fruit than you can possibly pick?
Every year, we gather more than 20,000 pounds of apples and other fruit that would otherwise go to waste, and distribute it across the island to help feed our community.
If you have fruit that needs picking, register your crop with us and we'll do our best to connect you with people who can help harvest it.
🙌 WANT TO HELP PICK? VOLUNTEER!
Love being outside? Love apples? Want to get your hands dirty and help rescue food from going to waste?
We need volunteers to help pick, sort and move fruit throughout the season. No orchard required — just bring your enthusiasm (and maybe a pair of sturdy shoes)!
Every apple we pick is one less apple wasted.
Help us make the most of Salt Spring's extraordinary abundance — and keep more good food circulating right here in our community.
Happy Apple Palooza! 🍎
